NEWS: Undersea Porthole Mystery Continues

Submitted by FIA on Tue, 12/23/2008 - 3:04am.

In the wake of the return of the Undersea Porthole as an Adoption Exclusive, Webkinz Insider members have been getting mixed information from Customer Service Representatives at Ganz. Some Reps are saying that it was a glitch that the Porthole was ever removed and that the glitch was corrected when the Porthole was returned. Others are saying that the Porthole had never been removed from Webkinz World and that all of the Webkinz Fan sites that reported it as "retired" were wrong. Specifically, WI member Jennielou said when she told a Rep that she got her information "somewhere" on the internet that the Rep responded by mentioning Webkinz Insider by name and told her "don't believe anything you read there". Something we have been hearing over and over again from members is that Customer Service Reps are saying that the Porthole is not an "adoption exclusive" and that it is actually a "rare adoption gift". No one has been able to get an answer as to what exactly that means.

The facts we know are as follows:

Prior to February 21st, 2008, the Undersea Porthole was listed in the wShop as an Exclusive item, and members were receiving it as Adoption Gifts.

On February 21st, 2008, during an unscheduled system maintenance, the Undersea Porthole, Giant Venus Flytrap, and Jelly Lollipop Tree, were removed from the wShop Exclusive item listing. At that time, the Ambulance, Antique Lamp Post, Giant Feather Chair, Giant Sandwich Table, and Webkinz Theme Music Box were introduced.

A few days after February 21st, an article ran in the Webkinz Newspaper announcing that the Undersea Porthole and the other two Exclusives had been "officially retired". (a copy of the article can be seen below)

From February 21st, 2008, to December 17th, 2008, there were no reports of members receiving Undersea Portholes as Adoption Gifts.

On December 17th, 2008, following an unscheduled system maintenance, the Undersea Porthole was once again listed as an Exclusive item in the wShop, it was listed as a available item in the Wish Factory, and members started receiving the Portholes as Adoption Gifts.

At this point we are waiting for Ganz to step forward and set the official story straight.